Celebrate the Year of the Pig with a lion dance-led lantern procession! The procession will be lining up across from the Art Institute’s Modern Wing on the West side of The Lurie Garden (look for the lanterns!). Continue the celebration at Maggie Daley Park with more New Year’s activities, including a lion dance, art making, and ice skating.

Celebrate the first day of the Year of the Pig with the Chinese Fine Arts Society at the Citywide Chinese New Year Kickoff! Enjoy a multi-arts performance featuring Lion dancers, Silk Road pipa master Yang Wei, martial arts, the award-winning Flying Fairies dance troupe, and direct from Beijing, special guest artists the China National Peking Opera Company with a sneak peak of the comedic and acrobatic “At the Crossroads,” a famous opera based on a story from Water Margin, one of the great novels of Chinese literature. Presented in partnership with Choose Chicago and the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events.

Students can also enjoy a presentation of the China National Peking Opera Company at a school matinee event at Benito Juarez Community Academy (1450-1510 W. Cermak Rd.). This performance includes the comedic and acrobatic “At the Crossroads,” a famous opera based on a story from Water Margin, one of the great novels of Chinese literature and other opera excerpts. Presented in partnership with Choose Chicago.

Admission: $8 with student ID. School field trips encouraged and attractive group pricing is available. Contact the Chinese Fine Arts Society at [email protected] for more information.

Join Silk Road pipa sensation Yang Wei at a special “Today at Apple” performance at Apple Michigan Avenue (401 N Michigan Ave). Yang Wei will perform on the pipa, a Chinese lute, and then audience members will get hands-on learning to play the instrument in GarageBand using iPads. He will then integrate music created by the audience into an improvisational work. During the program, calligrapher Yijun Hu will write Chinese characters in response to the music performed. Opening the music lab, the Sound of Wishes ensemble will perform Chinese music on a trio of guzheng, a 21 stringed Chinese zither.

On February 15, Roosevelt Collection Shops (150 Roosevelt Road) will host “The Pig Freeze: Lunar New Year Celebration 2019” where they will unveil a larger-than-life, celebratory ice sculpture, which will include a “piggy bank” where guests can donate to support Chinatown’s Project:VISION. The event will feature a live performance from the Chinese Fine Arts Society Lion Dancers at 7:00 pm, and lucky red envelopes with prizes inside for shoppers who spend $100 at RC retailers. The first 200 guests will also receive a complimentary bao from Piko Street Kitchen food truck; other food will also be available for purchase.

Experience the extraordinary talents of young musicians performing Chinese music at a concert featuring the winners of the 33rd Music Festival in Honor of Confucius!

For more than 30 years, this annual competition has introduced young musicians the the rich heritage of Chinese culture through contemporary and traditional Chinese music. Many alumni of the competition have gone on to pursue music at the country’s most prestigious conservatories, and have pursued highly successful careers in music.

The concert will take place at 3:00pm on Sunday, November 18th, at the Merit School of Music’s Gottlieb hall. Admission is free, and the concert will be followed by an awards ceremony, and light reception. Join us in celebrating the hard work, talent, and accomplishments of these fine young musicians!

Who We Are

The Chinese Fine Arts Society (CFAS) is a Chicago-based non-profit dedicated to promoting the appreciation of Chinese culture, enhancing cultural exchange, and pursuing excellence in Chinese music, dance, and visual arts. Since its founding in 1984, CFAS has been a leading champion of Chinese culture, bringing together people from diverse backgrounds to celebrate the beauty and majesty of both traditional and contemporary Chinese art.